Story
TLBB is a Chinese martial arts MMORPG adapted from the popular Chinese novel Tian Long Ba Bu which was written by famous martial arts Wuxia writer Jin Yong. Developed by Sohu-ChangYou, TLBB attracts such a vast amount of players that it is currently ranked 3rd in the Chinese MMORPG market. Introduction The scenario has been developed around the lives of ancient Chinese heroes such as Xiao Feng, Duan Yu and Xu Zhu whilst gradually uncovering passion and grudge among nine classes. With the core concept of Buddhist errantry in the original work, TLBB offers a virtual world filled with good and evil, love and hate. The Song Dynasty The Song Dynasty (Chinese: 宋朝; pinyin: Sòng cháo; 960–1279) of China was a ruling dynasty that controlled the south eastern part of China from the middle of the 10th century through to the last quarter of the 13th century. The Song Dynasty is considered a high point of classical Chinese innovation in science and technology, including prominent intellectual figures such as Shen Kuo and Su Song as well as the revolutionary use of gunpowder weapons (catapult-projected bombs, fire lances, flamethrowers, and land mines). However, it was also a period of political and military turmoil with opposing, and often aggressive, political factions formed in court which impeded progress in many ways. The frontier management policies of the Chancellor Wang Anshi exacerbated hostile conditions along the Chinese-Vietnamese border, sparking a border war with the Lý Dynasty. Although this conflict was fought to a mutual draw, there was subsequently an enormous military defeat at the hands of invading Jurchens from the north in 1127, forcing the remnants of the Song court to flee south from Kaifeng and establish a new capital at Hangzhou. It was there that the new naval strength was developed to combat the Jurchen's Jin Dynasty formed in the North and although the Song Dynasty was able to defeat further Jurchen invasions, the Mongols (led by Genghis Khan, Ögedei Khan, Möngke Khan, and finally Kublai Khan) gradually conquered China but only up until the fall of the final Song Emperor in 1279. The Story Of Three Heroes The story of Xiao Feng Xiao Feng is the popular and charismatic chief of the Beggar’s Alliance who possesses strong leadership qualities and exceptional prowess in martial arts. He falls from grace after his true ethnicity as a Khitan is revealed and he is wrongly accused of murdering several fellow pugilists to conceal his identity. He becomes an outcast of the Wulin and the prime enemy of all Han Chinese pugilists. He is forced to sever all ties he has with the Han Chinese pugilists and engages them in a one-man bloody battle in which he kills many pugilists, including some of his old friends. Xiao Feng leaves to verify the claims that he is a Khitan and investigate the mysterious murders. He is accompanied by A'Zhu, who is in love with him and stands by him even when the world turns against him. After a long journey in disguise, he finally concludes that he is indeed a Khitan and he assumes his ancestral name Xiao Feng. Tragically, he makes a major blunder after being tricked into believing that Duan Zhengchun (revealed to be A'Zhu's father) is responsible for his parents' death. He kills A'Zhu by mistake, who is in disguise to defend her father. Xiao Feng regretted this and had since left Song with A'Zi, the younger sister of A'Zhu. He had promised to take good care of A'Zi, who carries a strong crush on him, but Xiao Feng does not agree with her mischievousness and sadistic nature. Xiao wanders into Liao where he becomes a powerful noble after forging a strong friendship with the ruler, Yelü Hongji, shortly after saving his life. When Yelü Hongji decides to invade Song, Xiao Feng attempts to dissuade him as he still values his past relations with the Han Chinese. Ultimately, Xiao Feng commits suicide to prevent the war between Song and Liao after taking Yelü Hongji hostage and making him swear that he will never invade Song. The story of Duan Yu Duan Yu is a young, naive prince of the Kingdom of Da Li. Despite the long tradition of the practice of martial arts in the royal family, he refuses to learn martial arts due to Buddhist influence and his disdain for bloodshed. When his father Duan Zhengchun tries to force him to learn martial arts, he runs away from home. Ironically, he acquires three of the most powerful skills in the novel and becomes immune to poison after consuming the Zhuha, a poisonous toad dubbed as the "king of all venomous creatures". During his adventures, he encounters several beautiful young maidens, such as Zhong Ling and Mu Wanqing, and falls in love with them. However, one by one, these maidens are revealed to actually be his half-sisters due to his womanizing father's past affairs with several women such as Gan Baobao and Qin Hongmian. Of these maidens, he is extremely obsessed with Wang Yuyan, who resembles a statue of a fairy-like maiden he once chanced upon before. He tries to win her heart but she has no feelings for him as she has a crush on her cousin Murong Fu. Duan Yu's love-life ends on a happy note when Wang Yuyan finally realises that he is the one who truly loves her. They become happily married and live together thereafter. The story of Xuzhu Xuzhu is a monk from the Shaolin sect, described as kind-hearted and with a submissive nature. He believes strongly in following the Buddhist code and refuses to break it even when faced with life-threatening situations. He follows his elders to a pugilist meeting which marks the start of his adventures but coincidentally, Xuzhu breaks a Weigi formation and becomes the successor of the Carefree Sect thus inheriting the powers of Wuyazi. Subsequently, he encounters Tianshan Tonglao and other acquaintances of Wuyazi who he learns martial arts from. Once again, he becomes the leader of several unorthodox sects in the Jianghu. Xuzhu feels overwhelmed by the sudden influx of heavy responsibilities and his major leap in martial arts prowess. He desires to detach himself from all these duties and return to his former monastic life. However, he is unable to wrench himself free from the various tribulations and dangers that lie ahead; he is no longer regarded as a disciple of Shaolin and has no choice but to accept his fate. Xuzhu has a pitiful parentage, as he is revealed to be the illegitimate son of Shaolin's head abbot Xuanci and Ye Erniang of the Four Evils. The reunion with his parents is destined to be the first and the last. Again by coincidence, Xuzhu becomes the prince consort of the Kingdom of Western Xia due to a previous affair with Princess Yinchuan, whom he is happily married to.